. >> reporter: from chicago to atlanta -- >> i don't want this shot. >> reporter: -- to ohio. doctors in emergency rooms are overwhelmed with a flu that seems to be spreading like wildfire. in florida, where the flu has hit hard and early, 7-month-old baby estrella is sick with a respiratory virus the doctors are seeing along with influenza. just one of dozens of children dr. rosenberg has been treating. >> it's been an epidemic, a lot of admissions from the flu, more than ever. >> reporter: in illinois, doctors say they haven't seen this many cases since the swine flu outbreak in 2009. this year the flu is hitting even the strongest among us. like 28-year-old matt head. >> one minute i'm a thousand degrees sweating to death, and then the next thing i'm four degrees, freezing to death, wishing i was dead. >> reporter: in ohio, 863 people have been hospitalized with flu symptoms compared with 65 at this time last year. >> our normal volume would be anywhere from 40 patients. we're seeing 75, 80 patients today. >> reporter: emergency rooms are going to have longer wait times for